The results of a major contest will be announced Wednesday.
April 4 marks National Hug an Anchor Day, when it will finally be revealed which TODAY host is the most huggable, according to the residents of Arrow Senior Living Management.
As TODAY.com reported last week, the nationwide network of Arrow communities has been gearing up for the decision deadline with primaries, parties and video montages featuring cardboard cut-outs of their favorite anchors. The residents will hear the results of the vote tomorrow and promise a video will accompany the announcement (we tend to believe them).
The poll has been heating up on TODAY.com, with over 500 people casting their vote for the most huggable TODAY anchor. Matt Lauer is currently in the lead.
The crew behind Arrow Senior Living Management posted a video yesterday, as residents revealed what question they'd ask the TODAY anchors, if given the chance. Both Pauline Imlay of Hollybrook Senior Living of Orange in Santa Ana, Calif. and Dorothy Slack of The Atrium of Belleville in Belleville, Ill. would ask Matt, “Are you married?” (Answer: Yes. Sorry, ladies).
Earlene Justice, also of Santa Ana, says she just wants to take him on a date. Stella Schnipper of The Atrium of Belleville says she would give Matt not only one hug, but two.
Another Santa Ana resident, Jack Stites, has a special question for his nominee, Kathie Lee Gifford: “I would ask how she got so beautiful and, ‘What are you doing tonight?’”
“I think it’s probably going to Matt," said Judy Nobles, Arrow's quality assurance coordinator. “Everybody think he’s handsome and they want to marry him.”
Amanda Tweten, the COO of the company, agrees. “I honestly think Matt Lauer is going to win this one. I can’t tell you how excited they all are; this is all they talk about.” She described a resident who became so giddy over the race, she rushed off to tell her son about it, and has been busily making calls before voting is closed.
It isn’t only the TODAY anchors getting the love. Residents from the St. Louis Arrow community have plans to stand outside the NBC-affiliate "Show Me St. Louis" studio Wednesday to give hugs to the anchors there. “They’re excited,” Tweten said of the residents. “They’re going to get their hair done.”
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TODAY.com contributor Jillian Eugenios thinks she will also get her hair done for the occasion.